Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity of Imidazole and Thiazole Analogs of Polycarpine and Polycarpaurine C

Abstract

Analogs of the alkaloids polycarpine and polycarpaurine C, metabolites of marine ascidians of the genus Polycarpa, were synthesized. Their cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities were comparatively analyzed. A chloro-containing analog of polycarpaurine C was shown to exhibit high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli superior to that of gentamicin. Polycarpaurine C and its thioanalogs strongly inhibited biofilm formation by the studied microorganisms.